It’s movie night on the weekend. No more work for a couple of days, everyone’s tired after a busy week, and the children will probably go to bed early or hang out in a pajama party that hopefully, you won’t have to host. Your partner in crime is only expecting you to open the wine if you’re not a bloodsucking vampire or make popcorn if Ghostface doesn’t call first. The latest addition to the family comes in the form of the streaming service HBO Max.
We know time is like a currency nowadays, so we don’t want you to waste any of it. That’s why we’ve handpicked a list of titles that are available on HBO Max for your enjoyment. Not everyone likes the same, so we’ve made sure to pick something of each horror subgenre. Who knows, maybe you’ll end up going on a horror marathon that’ll continue until Saturday morning. Just be careful, as none of these are family-friendly.
Updated on Sep. 9, 2025: This article has been updated with additional content to keep the discussion fresh and relevant with even more information and new entries.
23
‘MaXXXine’ (2024)
MaXXXine is the movie that concludes Ti West’s X trilogy, and it’s a direct sequel to his 2022 movie, X. Set in 1980s Hollywood, it follows Maxine Minx, an adult film star and budding actress desperately wanting to achieve mainstream success. But before she can become famous, she finds herself embroiled in a series of murders involving the infamous Night Stalker. Soon, Maxine is forced to come face-to-face with her dark past.
Neatly Wraps Up the Trilogy
West’s direction, as usual, brings a unique blend of ’80s nostalgia and unsettling horror, which not only makes MaXXXine a standout in the genre but also an enormously successful horror film of 2024. Mia Goth is a revelation once again in her captivating performance as the titular character. The film thrives on its visuals, visceral chills, and a gripping storyline.
22
‘I Saw the TV Glow’ (2024)
A Sundance Film Festival premiere, this A24 horror follows Owen and Maddie, two high school students, otherwise isolated from the other kids their age, but connecting with each other over their shared love of a mysterious young adult television show called The Pink Opaque. Their obsession with the show grows to the point where they see beyond the TV screen, and it leads them down a surreal path.
Mind-Bending Thriller
I Saw the TV Glow is a psychological horror with a deeper meaning about reality and identity. It is directed by Jane Schoenbrun, who intends to offer the viewers a disturbing experience, but at the same time, wants to draw attention to the emotional turmoil of her characters, who feel safe in a certain place but can’t be as liberated elsewhere. Justice Smith and Brigette Lundy-Paine are incredible at turning the movie into a must-watch.
21
‘Trap’ (2024)
Written, directed, and produced by M. Night Shyamalan, Trap is another psychological thriller that delivers what it promises. It centers around a father-daughter duo attending a concert but noticing a sinister presence and getting caught up in it. Apparently, the concert is actually a trap set by the FBI to capture a serial killer, which causes major chaos among the attendees.
Thrives on Hartnett’s Performances
As always, Shyamalan keeps the audience on edge with the plot twists and the build-up of suspense, until the final reveal leaves them in awe of everything they just witnessed. Trap conveniently combines intrigue with horror, which the director is known for, and creates an eerie atmosphere throughout. Josh Hartnett plays the conflicted father, who’s also revealed to be the serial killer’s target, and Ariel Donoghue shines as the daughter. Overall, a darkly humorous and satisfying horror-thriller.
20
‘Sinners’ (2025)
Lauded as one of the greatest horror movies of the twenty-first century and beyond, Ryan Coogler’s atmospheric masterpiece Sinners features a dual powerhouse performance by Michael B. Jordan and takes place in 1932 in the rural town of Clarksdale, Mississippi where twin brothers Smoke and Stack Moore return after years of being away, only to discover something supernatural and sinister is plaguing the community and spreading evil.
Coogler Crafts a Transcending Horror Knockout
One of the most critically and commercially successful releases of the year, Sinners took audiences by storm with its electrifying storytelling, stunning visuals, and captivating soundtrack, as well as its profound exploration of spiritualism, racism, and the struggles Black Americans faced in the South during the tumultuous time period. Praised for its brilliant blend of genres, Sinners won Best Horror Movie at the Critics’ Choice Super Awards and is nominated for a slew of other prestigious accolades (with many more likely on the way).
19
‘Caddo Lake’ (2024)
A supernatural thriller written and directed by Celine Held and Logan George, Caddo Lake takes place in the titular tight-knit community. It begins with the sudden disappearance of an eight-year-old girl named Ellie. After her family and the Caddo Lake community begin searching for her, they uncover a series of past deaths and mysterious disappearances, all of which lead to the presence of a supernatural force.
A Moody and Gripping Mystery
Drawing from the atmospheres of small-town horror classics, Caddo Lake impresses viewers with its setting. The intriguing mystery that binds all the minutes together escalates slowly and gradually and sets up a haunting finale. The movie stars Dylan O’Brien and Eliza Scanlen as Paris, a twenty-something guy who gets caught up in the mystery, and Ellie, respectively. The film is described by critics as a “delirious sci-fi thrill ride that washes over the senses.”
18
‘Funny Games’ (1997)
Funny Games is a psychological horror movie written and directed by Michael Haneke. It centers around a family of three arriving at their holiday home in Austria to have a good time. Shortly after settling in, they are visited by two seemingly polite young men (whom they spotted at their neighbors’ on their drive here). They overstay their welcome, torment the family, and play a bizarre series of games with them for their own twisted amusement.
Haunting Imagery of Unknown Terror
Haneke focuses less on the graphics and more on the banality of evil. Even though his direction is controlled, the pacing is deliberate, and the politeness is only forced, the movie is so intense and shocking that the terror of not knowing when or how the pain will strike is what unsettles and scares the audience. Back when it was first shown at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival, one-third of the audience left the theater. Regardless, Funny Games is considered a masterpiece, specifically for subverting the slasher genre. It also led to an American remake starring Tim Roth and Naomi Watts.
17
‘Scream’ (1996)
The movie that rekindled people’s interest in the horror genre and brought back the gleeful gore of the ’80s slasher movies, Scream was the first in what would become a full-fledged, generation-defining horror franchise. It is set in the fictional town of Woodsboro, California, and it begins with a young woman named Sidney receiving a phone call from a mysterious person. Soon after, a killer in a Ghostface mask begins murdering her friends.
Revitalizes the Slasher Genre
By combining horror, comedy, and ingenious meta references, director Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson’s brilliant script breathed new life into overused tropes. Not only did the movie succeed on the commercial front, but it also garnered high praise from critics and fans for being self-aware, twisted, and downright terrifying. Scream pays homage to the classics, but it also redefines horror by offering fresh perspectives, unforgettable scream queens, and a meticulously executed plot. Overall, Scream is a charming horror classic.
16
‘It’ (2017)
The second spine-tingling Hollywood adaptation of the classic Stephen King bestseller, 2017’s It stars acting chameleon Bill Skarsgård as the demented killer clown Pennywise, who terrorizes a close-knit group of outcast children in the small town of Derry, Maine, by forcing them to face their greatest fears. Every 27 years, the shape-shifting demon emerges from the sewers to wreak havoc and prey on the innocent, and it’s up to Bill (Jaeden Lieberher) and his fellow Losers to put an end to the clown’s terror.
Skarsgård Delivers a Hair-Raising Performance as Pennywise
Attempting to live up to the legacy of Tim Curry’s unnerving portrayal of Pennywise in the 1990 miniseries would be a tall order for any actor, yet Skarsgård epically created his own hair-raising portrayal of the malevolent entity and scared up endless thrills and chills in It. The horror sensation shattered box office records and grossed over $704 million worldwide while spawning the successful 2019 sequel It Chapter Two, and fans of both Skarsgård and the killer clown are anxiously awaiting the premiere of the upcoming prequel series It: Welcome to Derry.
15
‘Eyes Without a Face’ (1960)
Eyes Without a Face is about a renowned Parisian plastic surgeon who is devastated after a car accident leaves his daughter’s face disfigured. Consumed by guilt, he resorts to unbelievable means to make her “beautiful” again – abducting unwitting women on the road late at night, removing their facial skin to graft onto his daughter, then dumping their corpses into the river. A police investigation begins, and Dr. Génessier eventually meets his fate.
An Elegant and Chilling Psychological Masterpiece
The French-language horror was met with polarizing reviews from critics and fans. While some lauded its strange yet compelling narrative, others were deeply unsettled by its imagery. Regardless, this Georges Franju-directed movie is considered a masterpiece in the history of cinema. Pierre Brasseur haunts as Doctor Génessier, while Alida Valli excels as the deranged doctor’s guilt-ridden nurse. Shot with exquisite compositions and poetic undertones, its themes of obsession and fragility endure even today.
14
‘Child’s Play’ (1988)
Kids were never able to look at their toys quite the same way after the supernatural slasher Child’s Play made its chilling debut, with the ’80s cult classic famously telling the story of a vicious serial killer whose soul is transferred into a doll after he performs a voodoo ritual and dies at the hands of a detective. When widow Karen inadvertently gives her six-year-old son Andy the doll that possesses the spirit of the notorious Charles Lee Ray, bloodshed and violence quickly follow suit.
The Terrifying Chucky Becomes a Bona Fide Horror Icon
Child’s Play sparked a massive and lasting impact on cinema as it winningly blended horror and humor while also providing satirical commentary on consumerism and society’s obsession with toys. Critics and fans alike were blown away by the film’s pint-sized, diabolical villain and director Tom Holland’s use of deeply unsettling puppetry, and its unexpected success helped spawn an enduring media franchise that consists of six sequels, a TV series, a reboot, and more. Nearly 40 years later, Chucky remains a pop culture icon and one of the horror world’s most instantly recognizable figures.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
